Upholstery edge springs



June 13, mm H. HANEY ET AL 3,324,485

UPHOLSTERY EDGE SPRINGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 25, 1965 WHEN INVE/VTOHS BENJAMINE H. HANEY 81 BENJAMIN F. DOCKERY ATTORNEYS June 13, -119%? H. HANEY ET AL UPHOLSTERY EDGE SPRI NGS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 25. 1965 l/VVE/VTORS BENJAMINE H. HANEY 8;

BENJAMIN F. DOCKERY ATTORNEYS Filed Jan. 25, 1965, Ser. No. 427,650 18 Claims. (Cl. -260) This invention concerns inner springs used adjacent the edges of bedding and furniture. In particular, this invention discloses novel edge-coils for articles having hand-tied upholstery coils.

Border wires are used in mattresses and upholstery seat constructions to maintain edges straight and without break. The function of border wires includes resilient response to deforming forces. Border wires may be attached to springs along edges of cushions when the springs are tied. Problems have existed in the stabilizing of border wires relative to the edge coils in order to achieve lasting results in finished upholstery.

A border wire revolving around a spring in a normal border wire and upholstery coil assembly has tendencies to pinch and to hammer the cord or twine holding the spring in place. If metallic clips are used in joints between springs and wires, tying cords may be cut. Premature cord failure from pinching, hammering or cutting, releases springs, destroying the value of upholstered furniture.

The present invention solves those problems by creating novel edge springs and improving border wire fastening means. One side of a springs upper coil is flattened to aid in attaching to a border wire. Thus, a broad clip can be locked about the border wire and fiat edge of the spring, thereby increasing mutual stability.

In order to provide a firm edge which will not break in the finished product, the uppermost coil is turned upwardly 80 from the general plane of the lower coils, before stresses are relieved by such methods as heat treating or normalizing. In its operational position, the uppermost coil tends to return to its 80 elevated position, keeping upward tension on the edge of cushions.

Since springs in use are subject to many motions, a notch is provided in the flattened front edge of each upper coil to maintain separation between the clip which attaches the border wire and the twine used in tying the coil into place. Thus, premature failure of upholstered construction due to twine chafing is prevented.

One important feature of the new edge spring is that the border wire is locked in position on top of the coil itself. In a conventional spring, the border wire is free to rotate around the edge of the spring, the border wire ends up in the position where it is hanging by the clip, which is in turn hanging from the coil spring. This puts a strain on the clip itself, and frequently results in clip failure. With the border wire locked in place on top of the coil, most of the strain is transmitted directly from the border wire to the coil spring, with very little strain on the border wire clip. Consequently there is considerably less clip failure.

One object of this invention is the providing of an edge spring for upholstery which will maintain a firm upholstery edge without break.

- This invention has as one other objective the providing order to prevent Patented June 13, 1967 of an edge spring having means to facilitate attaching a border wire.

Another object of the invention is the provision of edge COllS having upwardly turned upper coils which maintain a firm upholstery edge.

Another object of the invention is providing an edge spring configured to rigidly maintain the relative position of a border wire.

A further object of the invention is the provision of special notches within an upper coil to maintain spaced relationship between tying twine and the border wire and its c ip.

Further objects of the invention will be apparent from the attached specification and from the drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a cut away view illustrating the position of the novel edge spring and its relation to a border wire running along the edge of the cushion.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the springs constructed in accordance with this invention, which spring illustrates a first embodiment of a flattened edge and notch construction.

FIGURE 2A is a sectional view illustrating the angular relationship of top coil of the spring of FIGURE 2 with respect to the principal axis of coil.

FIGURE 3 is a detail of the flattened section of the upper coil ofFlGURE 1 attached to a border wire by a clip.

FIGURE 4 is a detail of the reverse side of FIGURE 3, revealing clip construction.

FIGURE 5 illustrates a second embodiment of a generally flattened front edge ofan upper coil. Curves in the holding edge of the coil prevent the clip and border wire from rotating about the coil.

FIGURE 6 is a cross section FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a detail of a generally flattened edge of a third embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 8 is a detail of a fourth, preferred, embodiment of the invention, in which an additional notch provides separation between clip and tying twine.

FIGURE 9 is a detail of a fifth, preferred embodiment of the invention, combining advantages of the embodiments shown in FIGURES 7 and 8.

FIGURE 10 is a cut away view of an upholstered seat constructed according to this invention.

FIGURE 1 schematically illustrates the position of an edge spring in an upholstered article. The numeral 4 represents a border wire, while 2 generally indicates outer fabric.

Referring to FIGURE 2, edge spring 10 comprises a series of coils, of which the upper most coil is turned upwardly at an angle of approximately to add additional torsional strength to the edge. Free end 28of uppermost coil 20 is fixed to the subjacent coil, thereby forming a loop having a fixed segment and an opposite free segment. Flattened edge 22 is formed in loop 20 to facilitate attachment of border wire 4. Clip 30 secures the border wire in position.

In the detail, FIGURE 3, curve 24 of coil 20 touches border wire 4 to provide a closed notch 25, to which coil-tying twine may be secured. FIGURE 4 illustrates the reverse side of the clip 30, revealing lugs 32 and 34, which are closed when the wires have been joined. In rotation of border wire 4 about flat edge of embodiment shown in 3 22 of coil 20, a second embodiment is discussed below.

FIGURE illustrates a second embodiment, in which generally flattened center portion 42 of an upper coil comprises three curves, 44, 46, and 47. As clip 50 is attached, lugs 52 are forced about control portion 42, and extremities 54 of the lugs are pressed against border wire 4. Thus, a rigid joint is constructed. Curves 44, 46 and 47 hold clip 50, which in turn fixes the relative position of the border wire. FIGURE 6 is a cross sectional drawing of the elements of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 discloses a third embodiment of the invention in which the border wire is placed atop the generally flattened surface of coil 50. Bars 64 and 66 project from remote ends of the fiat central section 62 under the border wire and hold the border Wire in fixed positions as it is drawn downwardly by clamp 70. In this embodiment, downward force applied on the border wire is borne solely by coil 60. Thus, chances for clip failure due to tensile forces between border wire 4 and coil 60 are reduced.

FIGURE 8 illustrates another embodiment of the invention in which border wire 4 is secured by clip 90 to coil 80. The joint is held rigid by a single curve 84; curved section 86 is spaced from border wire 4. Notch 87 holds spring-tying twine, and insures that the twine contacts neither border wire 4 nor clip 90. This embodiment retains the rigidity advantage of the embodiment shown in FIGURE 7 and adds the advantages of twine separation.

A preferred embodiment of the invention, which combines the features and advantages of the spring details of FIGURES -7 and 8 is shown in FIGURE 9. At opposite ends of a flat central portion 122 of upper coil 120, ears 124 and 126 project underborder wire 4. When clamp 130 holds wire 4 down upon fiat section 122, ears 124 and 126 prevent rotation of wire 4 with respect to coil 120. Cord holding notch 127 maintains separation of tying twine 101 and its knot 103 from border wire 4 and clip 130.

An assembled seat 200 employing the springs and joints of this invention is shown in FIGURE 10. Having been tied by cords 201 anchored to frame 203, springs 210 are compressed; and their upper coils 220 rotated downward to a horizontal position.

Border wires held rigidly in place result in greatly improved edge roll stability. In FIGURE edge roll 108, which is fixed to border wire 104, has a tendency to get out of place if the border wire moves. Edge roll 108 plays a very important part in holding a loose seat cushion in its place in an upholstered chair. Fixing a border wire against movement relative to upholstery coils greatly improves stabilityv of the edge roll.

Although the invention has been described by specific embodiments, it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that its teachings have applications in other related devices. Thus, the scope of the invention is defined only in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A wire joint comprising:

a first generally straight wire;

v a second curved wire,

first and second opposite legs of said second wire extending generally forwardly of said first wire,

a central portion of said second wire juxtaposed to said first wire, said central portion interconnecting said legs by terminal curves,

said central portion further defining at least one notch adjacent said first wire,

a clip surrounding a section of said first wire and a complementary section of said central portion of saidsecond wire, thereby maintaining said first and second wires juxtaposed.

2. The joint of claiml wherein said central portion comprises a straight section juxtaposed to said first wire and at least one reverse curve interconnecting said straight section and one of said legs.

3. The joint of claim 2 wherein said straight section and said at least one reverse curve are positioned forwardly of said first wire.

4. The joint of claim 2 wherein said straight section and said at least one reverse curve are juxtaposed below said first wire.

5. The joint of claim 4 wherein said one of said legs extends rearwardly and forwardly of said wire.

6. The joint of claim 2 wherein said reverse curve interconnects said straight section and said first leg, and further comprising a double reverse curve interconnecting said straight section and said second leg, said double reverse curve defining a notch displaced from said first wire.

7. The joint of claim 1 wherein said central portion defined several interconnected curves and wherein said clip partially surrounds said several curves, thereby providing torsional stability.

8. The joint of claim 1 wherein said second wire comprises an end coil of a coil spring and wherein said legs interconnect said central portion with the remainder of said coil.

9. An upholstery spring comprising continuous helical coils wound about a longitudinal axis, said coils terminating at one longitudinal end in a fiat loop oriented in a first plane intersecting a second plane perpendicular to said axis at an angle approximating said loop having a first segment thereof attached to a portion of said coils near said loop and a second free segment opposite said first segment, said free segment defining a generally straight central portion to facilitate attachment to a border wire.

10. An upholstery spring comprising:

continuous helical coils wound about a first longitudinal axis, said coils terminating at one longitudinal end in a continuous circular loop oriented in a plane perpendicular to a second axis intersecting said first axis at an angle approximating 80, said loop having an extreme free end attached to an adjacent coil, thereby generally forming a circle;

said loop having a free segment opposite said extreme free end;

a central portion of said free segment defining a generally straight section;

a border wire aligned and juxtaposed with said central portion;

said central portion further defining at least one notch adjacent said border wire; and

a clip surrounding a section of said central portion and a complementary section of said border wire, thereby maintaining said border wire and said central portion juxtaposed.

11. The spring of claim 1 wherein said central portion comprises a straight section juxtaposed to said border wire, and wherein said central portion additionally comprises at least one continuously formed notch spaced from said border Wire.

12. The spring of claim 10 wherein said central portion comprises a series of continuously formed curves juxtaposed to said border wire.

13. The spring of claim 12 wherein said clip comprises lugs grasping said series of curves and turning inwardly between said central portion and said border wire.

14. The spring of claim 10 wherein said central portion comprises a straight intermediate section bounded by two continuous reversedly curved sections, said straight sections and said curved sections underlying said border wire.

15. The spring of claim 10 wherein said central portion comprises a straight intermediate section, a first continuous reversedly curved section in continuation of one of said straight section, said intermediate and first sections underlying said border wire, and wherein said central portion further comprises a second reversedly curved end section in continuation of the remaining end of said References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Travis 5-270 Hunt 5-259 Deamer et a1. 5-260 X Wunderlich 52 56 X Stackhouse 5-260 Molt 5260 X 10 DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Primary Examiner.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Examiner.

R. D. KRAUS, Assistant Examiner. 

9. AN UPHOLSTERY SPRING COMPRISING CONTINUOUS HELICAL COILS WOUND ABOUT A LONGITUDINAL AXIS, SAID COILS TERMINATING AT ONE LONGITUDINAL END IN A FLAT LOOP ORIENTED IN A FIRST PLANE INTERSECTING A SECOND PLANE PERPENDICULAR TO SAID AXIS AT AN ANGLE APPROXIMATING 80*, SAID LOOP HAVING A FIRST SEGMENT THEREOF ATTACHED TO A PORTION OF SAID COILS NEAR SAID LOOP AND A SECOND FREE SEGMENT OPPOSITE SAID FIRST SEGMENT, SAID FREE SEGMENT DEFINING A GENERALLY STRAIGHT CENTRAL PORTION TO FACILIATE ATTACHMENT TO A BORDER WIRE. 